Bay State Drive-In

U.S. 6 & Commerce Way,

Seekonk,
MA02771

I was 16……..Had my new drivers license, my first true love who was a Jr. when I was a sophmore at EPHS. It just doesn’t get better than that! Bay State Drive In and Eileen Darlings were a big part of my life at that time! Gil

“The Bay State Drive-In, just over the state line [Rhode Island/Massachusetts] in nearby Seekonk, recently highlighted the 12th anniversary with gift nights. Running four consecutive evenings, the anniversary featured the presentation of pearl necklaces to the first 100 feminine patrons; Elizabeth Arden perfume to the next 100 ladies; rain caps to all other females present; cigars to all men, and balloons, candy, and lollipops to the kiddies.”

[Note: this anniversary indicates that the theatre must have opened for business for the first time in 1946.]

The “daring” bill I saw at the Bay State with three high school buddies in October of 1958 was “Because of Eve” and “She Shoulda' Said No!” “Because of Eve” depicted both normal and Cesarean type childbirths as well as warning about the dangers of V.D. “She Shoulda' Said No” was a cautionary film about the effects of drugs, especially marijuana, on one girl. Sensationalized ads and promotion were used to lure young people in to see these didactic films that were ultimately very dull and poorly made. I called the first one “informative” and judged the second one “horrible” in my notes made at the time.

I believe around 1958 they had some “daring” double bill called “Wasted Lives” (about illicit sex) along with a featurette called “The Birth of Twins.” We talked about it when we were seniors in high school. I believe I saw that program but in 1959 at the Quonset Drive-In in North Kingstown, RI. It pretty much played only at drive-ins.